This is a special room. Hello I'm Dan Cutler -- New York this is the twentieth anniversary at the beginning of the genocide in row Wanda. Mourners gathered across the central African country to -- you remember. The -- 800000. Killed. In 100 days from April to June 1994. And for some of the emotion on this day too much. The -- where the scenes from the memorial in Kigali where -- president. Paul Kagame spoke along with united makes. -- -- -- And US ambassador -- -- Samantha Power also sitting in attendance. BC news chief foreign correspondent Terry Moran is in Kigali joins us now on the phone it Terry as we've been seen here are some of these. Terrible scenes inside the memorial today the enormity the depth of the violence in the death their twenty years ago still very very fresh. Didn't really what we're just an amazing. -- -- mean seeing forty years later. This stadium. Filled with dignitaries including the US ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power. Who -- and -- a Pulitzer -- for writing a -- about genocide all of them. In attendance the world media. And as one man stood up -- part of the program. Went to the microphone and started telling his story his testimony what happened. Slowly. One by one started killing -- And sobbing. Screaming. Played there. In the different sections stating. And there were people haven't traumatic. That's the only way could I could figured out they were collapsing when. We live -- There there -- one of the archer who was helping them out. -- should happen without having a much reduced but without them whenever there's a memorial at. -- was carrying out what are the ladies who screaming that there were coming for a with a machete. At issue was -- in 1994. Memories and very powerful spokesperson -- -- And and -- what that it was like. You spoke to one man on the street in Kigali he was seventeen. When a genocide began here's what he told you. It's amazing. Some. -- tent. City and they. It's demand that people Coppola. Made him hostile bid quote. Imagine. You -- a whole country is -- not. Contaminants. -- -- How did you lived together again but it could see how did all of Rwanda come together and unite again. Yeah high -- solve this problem. -- government has tried. -- -- Good -- you know. -- -- -- -- -- He -- that is keeping cool calm normal brides. I understand what I mean. Terry -- want to ask you about -- is there a sense of commitment or determination. Or even desire. For reconciliation we hear a lot about -- between the Hutus and the Tutsis. You're there on the ground in and in speaking to some of these folks that it sounds as if -- just even twenty years. It's might be too early. On the contrary. Been struck. By doesn't -- in his life. Good transactional. Where the people here are reconciled it people had been. Powering nobility of South Africa Nelson Mandela for giving the white people. -- eleven million people in -- small country the most densely populated country who want to look at one another across the -- that. Our. What else to. And that -- an attribute of leadership. President -- accommodate him. Anything can certainly at Democrats they're and the international and others criticized the way. I want it. It's what you could in office sidewalks all. Street well lit well and the it is they are just children -- him -- -- about an hour with a -- Down the street the -- wouldn't say. Clean it well -- -- prosperous. Infrastructure works. And they are getting about that this is here. It's simply catch the most basic and suddenly -- -- why has -- -- and the question in the industry which woman. Why human -- you know you. Why some people -- some societies. Are -- able to do and others are. One. This terrible terrible war wounded. Guard. And you know. -- -- -- -- How much they got not put their shoulder to the wheel and rebuild their country. Terry if you can give me that the history lesson of what happened twenty years ago how did the violence began. It began on this date forty years ago there wouldn't civil war going. Two major groups in the country. That could do the majority 85%. To -- the minority 15%. The Belgian. When they ran that place -- -- -- cut it in charge in the -- -- -- -- -- the -- well when the boat and left. An election go to -- and they awarded it over. It is. A civil war -- here. War got nastier and their fear and on this day twenty years ago the president of the country who do. We've been playing landing at the airport hundred -- from -- what is that no one knows who get. But that was you didn't excuse. By extreme. Ship -- to who have developed the idea that we get solved this problem -- -- exterminate all the they took power. What some people step -- have been -- president. As an excuse to go on -- -- and it was a well planned well executed. -- our -- genocide. -- -- -- -- There -- radio station -- -- the first thing they did with no the next person or more. For the project that aren't -- a -- What sort out children attend Belgian soldiers who guard. Drove. The United Nations and the western United States. What world -- 800000. People were killed 100. It's about. Seven people have been. Under. With our national. What you. And it was -- only. When the army. The but didn't civil war but by the -- Maryland country. I finally. Pushed through and rectitude -- occurred in Kigali neighborhood did -- bit of revenge. But that's the basic history to try a colonial power the Warren group been -- And then on the independent the other group in charge of civil war broke out and solution -- civil war one group or used to exterminate. To -- And in the Wall Street. And another reflection some twenty years later and terror want to ask you lastly before we go row Wanda 2014. What what is the state of the government now. The news is good government that what. In this sense. That it is open for Britain it is. Relatively. Not a corrupt country. Contribute many many other countries. It is transparent -- low taxes. Welcome foreign investment. Spent a lot of money on education on health care -- infrastructure. I'm supporting the educational -- one -- the only country in the world with a majority of people in the parlor. -- -- -- in some -- that the government. Has worked very very hard to rebuild this country and with established it will -- and -- -- Right now there's a campaign that the government and young people. Four get them to explain what it means for them to be able warned it could not -- I'm a little on Phil. In -- and that government works well. It is not however. -- Perry. Free and open democratic. You really can't agree with the government one and that is the problem. But given the trauma to the -- weren't truly it is it's quite an achievement. -- you know an area. And now a moment of twenty years of reflection and the traumatic. Time that started back in 1994. ABC news chief foreign correspondent Terry Moran. Terry thank you for your time we appreciate it and of course you can keep up with today's memorials in real time. Downloading the ABC news out starting the story for exclusive updates on the go. For now I'm down perhaps -- in New York.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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